Kim, Author at Cinnamon and Sugar

Maple Pecan Squares

I had the pleasure of meeting Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delaney) at the Left Coast Crime conference in Phoenix in February. I was a bit embarrassed to admit, though, that I had never read any of her books. I had good intentions of doing so and had some of her books on my massive Amazon wish list over the last couple of years…but somehow they got lost in the shuffle and never purchased. Well let me tell you, I have sorely been missing out on the Lighthouse Library Mystery series and I have some catching up to do! Eva graciously provided me with a copy of READING UP A STORM, her newest release and the third book in the series. I was captivated from the very first sentence, “It was a dark and stormy night….” While a cliche, the author made me chuckle with her very next sentence and then proceeded to pull me in for a terrific read.

Lucy Richardson is the Assistant Librarian at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, ten miles outside Nags Head in the Outer Banks region. She’s only been there a few months, after leaving Boston and a breakup behind, and now resides in the cozy living quarters at the top of the lighthouse (which sounds totally awesome to me!). After wrapping up a surprise tenth work anniversary party for her boss, Bertie James, everyone heads home as a storm blows in. Lucy goes upstairs to her quarters and sees small lights waving from a beach that should be deserted. To make matters more eerie, a small motorboat is heading for the lights and towards certain destruction. Lucy calls the Coast Guard who end up rescuing Will Williamson and his much younger girlfriend, Marlene, just before the boat crashes onto shore.

The next day Will and Marlene attend a book club meeting that Lucy is moderating. One of her new friends, Stephanie, is also attending. Stephanie is a newcomer to Nags Head as well, moving to town to tend to her mother who was severely injured when a drunk driver hit her. Later that night a tipsy Stephanie confronts her mother about revealing who her father was, with Lucy there as a witness. It turns out Will Williamson is the cad who got Stephanie’s high-school-aged mother pregnant and then dumped her and left town with his wife and son, never once providing any type of child support. Now Will is back in town, a wealthy man with a trophy girlfriend on his arm.

The following morning Lucy walks through the marsh with her friend, and the town’s police officer, Butch Greenblatt, when they come across the stabbed body of Will Williamson in an abandoned boat. It doesn’t take long for the police to set their sights on Stephanie as the killer when it comes out that Will was her deadbeat dad and she doesn’t have an alibi. But the town rumor mill is also throwing their up-for-reelection mayor, Dr. Connor McNeil, into the pool of suspects. Lucy knows that neither of them could be guilty of such a heinous crime and she knows she’s going to have to find the real killer before her friends lose everything they hold dear.

Aside from the fabulous location, location, location of READING UP A STORM, Eva Gates provides a compelling plot with plenty of twists and turns and suspects to keep you wanting to turn the pages. Lucy is surrounded by people who care about her and by people who try her patience which adds to the humanization of the characters. There’s also a bit of romance that could develop between Lucy and Connor or Lucy and Butch… no spoilers here, but I will say that Eva won’t keep you hanging book after book after book… While there are not any recipes included with the book, Lucy’s cousin, Josie, is a talented baker and brings all the goodies to the surprise party and the book club events. The dessert that she most often provides is Maple Pecan Squares (or tarts if you want to be fancy). Eva kindly provided the recipe for me to share and they were an enormous hit with my taste testers as they are with Lucy and Josie’s friends! I’ve also included a short video tutorial on how to make these delectable cookie bars that feature gooey maple filling surrounding crunchy, buttery pecans on top of a pecan based shortbread crust.

I look forward to catching up with the first two books in this series AND look forward to the next book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series…but in case you haven’t heard, several publishers are ending their contracts with numerous cozy mystery authors. Eva Gates has heard that the Lighthouse Library Mystery series may not be renewed if the sales don’t meet up with the publisher’s expectations. Click on the link for very cute blog posts from Mary at mjbreviewers on Six Ways to Support Authors and Six More Ways to Support Authors.

A very special thank you to Eva Gates for providing an autographed copy of READING UP A STORM to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, April 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Maple Pecan Squares

As featured in Reading up a Storm by Eva Gates

Makes 36 squares

Ingredients

Base
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Pecan Layer
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1-3/4 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Grease and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides.

Base

Pulse flour, brown sugar, pecans, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a food processor to combine.

Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly.

Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, until it just browns around the edges.

Allow to cool while you prepare the pecan layer.

Pecan Layer

Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and egg until smooth.

Stir in chopped pecans and pour over shortbread base.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges. The middle may not look like it’s entirely set but don’t worry, it will firm up as it cools.

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

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Ida’s Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

I’ve been waiting several months in anticipation of the next installment in the Georgia Peach Mystery series…and it’s finally here! It was a joy to read REST IN PEACH by Susan Furlong and catch up with Nola Mae Harper and her family. To begin with, each chapter starts with a Debutante rule, some are funny or quirky, but to quote Nola Mae’s mama, “Debutante rules help you become the best person you can be which is the secret to a happy life.” This part of the book adds to the Southern charm of the setting and I can hear their slow, honeyed drawl even in the midst of, gasp, murder!

Nola is busy preparing to open her shop, Peachy Keen, which will sell Harper Farm’s Peach products. She, along with help from Cade McKenna, are renovating a space adjacent to Red’s Diner, owned by her very good friend, Ginny. It’s Debutante season and Ginny’s daughter, Emily, is excited her dress is being delivered for the Cotillion ball. However, when the dresses arrive at the boutique, it’s discovered that Ginny’s dress was ordered for both Ginny and the Peach Queen, and only one showed up. The Peach Queen’s mother, Vivien Crenshaw, grabs the dress and lays claim to it. Ginny blows up at the snobbery she is throwing at Emily, and tells the rich, arrogant woman she will get her due.

The next day Vivien is found stabbed to death with a pair of scissors, the fought-over debutante gown clutched in her hands. Many women saw and heard Ginny’s altercation with the dead woman so Sheriff Maudy Payne takes Ginny in for questioning and considers her the main suspect. Ginny won’t provide the name of her alibi since she wasn’t home with her husband or her daughter and Nola begins to worry about the secret her friend is trying to hide. Ginny begs Nola to help find the real killer when evidence appears that will frame her and she worries it will ruin her daughter’s Debutante season. Half the town believe Ginny is guilty so Nola starts talking to people, asking questions about Vivien. It becomes apparent that the murdered woman had made a lot of enemies, including the sweet little old lady who played the organ at church. When the minister’s wife is attacked Nola knows she needs to step up her investigation before another person loses their life. From hunting down a centuries-old buried secret to tea at the Congressman’s mansion to stirring pots of peach preserves, Nola has her hands full in her latest adventure.

The author does a marvelous job in making her characters come to life in the small Georgia town but still weaves a tight plot in this cozy mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night. I loved how Nola is close to her family, especially her mama, and loyal to her friends no matter what. The romantic tension between Nola and Cade adds just the right amount of spice to the story without being distracting. Of course I can’t forget to mention the peach-themed recipes Susan includes at the back of her book…yum! She’s allowed me to share Ida’s Peach Cobbler Cupcakes and they were a hit with my friends and family (these make a big batch so there’s plenty to pass around). The Peach Cobbler Cupcakes start with a boxed mix but with her simple, unexpected add-ins, they taste like you slaved in the kitchen for hours making them from scratch. My eleven-year-old granddaughter, Emory, made this by herself with minimal instructions from me…another plus 🙂 I’ve included a quick video tutorial at the bottom of the page.

Thank you, Susan, for letting me share your delicious recipe!

A very special thanks to Susan Furlong for providing an autographed copy of REST IN PEACH to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Ida’s Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

Yields 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix plus ingredients as listed on package
1/2 cup applesauce
1 15-ounce can diced peaches in heavy syrup*
1 teaspoon cinnamon

*I could only find peach chunks so I diced into smaller pieces before using

Frosting

1/2 cup (4 ounces / 1 stick butter) softened
1/3 cup diced peaches
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Cupcakes

Reserve 1/3 cup of the diced peaches and set aside for the frosting.

In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix ingredients according to the package instructions.

Add 1/2 cup of applesauce, the remaining peaches with syrup, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix well.

Line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers and fill each approximately 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until baked through. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, with few crumbs attached.

Frosting

Using a mixer, blend 1 stick of softened butter, 1/3 cup of diced peaches, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until creamy.

Slowly add 2 cups of powdered sugar, mixing as you add.

Mix on high until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. If frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Frost the cupcakes once they are cool.

Leftover cupcakes (if there are any!) are best if stored in the refrigerator.

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I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.

“Skinny” Cream of Asparagus Soup

I am so pleased to be a part of the Escape with Dollycas’ Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours today showcasing A CLUE IN THE STEW by Connie Archer! In addition to a wonderful series with a cleverly crafted plot, the author includes several delicious recipes that are served at her fictitious soup shop, By the Spoonful, in Snowflake, Vermont, which is owned by Lucky Jamieson and her spunky grandfather, Jack.

Trouble comes finding Lucky when Hilary Stone, a famous national bestselling mystery writer, arrives in town for a book signing and to look for property to buy. The venue that was supposed to host the book signing cancels at the last moment so Lucky is nominated to host the event at By the Spoonful. Short on staff she hires Nanette, a new arrival to town. Nanette is a great waitress but she’s set her eyes on Jack, who is smitten with her but is twice her age. Nanette brashly attempts to change things at the shop trying to gain control, including criticizing Sage, Lucky’s talented chef. Her soup shop is in an uproar and then a stranger is found murdered in the woods near town. The residents are on edge and worry how it might impact Hilary Stone’s interest in purchasing property.

Lucky manages to prepare everything for the book signing and it appears to be a success despite what Hilary Stone’s family seems to think. Hilary’s son, Derek, is derisive while his snobby wife, Sylvia, seems to be hitting the bottle pretty hard and has nothing nice to say about anything. Lucky cleans up after the conclusion of the book signing festivities, and receives a call from the B & B where Hilary is staying. Hilary would like Lucky to deliver some of her soup to her even though it is late. She delivers the soup, wanting to help out her friend who owns the B & B, but then later finds out that Hilary was found murdered shortly after.

What is disturbing is that Hilary was killed using the same technique used in her mystery book and the murdered stranger in the woods was killed similarly. When one of the town’s older residents, Hank, goes missing and several witnesses place him near the scene of Hilary’s murder, the police are sure he’s the culprit. Lucky is certain Hank is innocent and starts asking questions to find the real killer, digging up decades-old long buried secrets in order to find answers. And all the while she must discover what Nanette is up to and keep By the Spoonful from imploding.

There were so many twists and turns in the story along with subplots that I was kept guessing up until the very end! The author does a wonderful job connecting all the pieces with the story coming together in an unexpected way. I enjoyed the development of the characters and how they supported each other, especially when obnoxious Nanette arrives on the scene. I could feel Lucky’s frustration while at the same time trying to be cautious of her grandfather’s feelings. Her relationship with Jack is one of the highlights of her life and not to be taken lightly.

One of the recipes that Sage makes at By the Spoonful and that Connie has so graciously allowed me to share, is her Cream of Asparagus Soup…and I call it “Skinny”. Even though it has no added cream and uses minimal butter, no one will know (except you) that this delicious, rich-tasting soup is actually very healthy and low-cal! This chock-full of veggies soup has a velvety finish and is more filling than you might think. Perfect in a small bowl for a starter or a hearty serving as the main course with plenty of hot, crusty bread. Best of all, it is super easy and quick to make, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I’ve included a very short video tutorial below.

Thank you to Connie Archer for letting me share her delicious recipe and providing a giveaway! Be sure to use the Rafflecopter form, located below the recipe, for a chance to win a great prize! This giveaway is through Great Escapes Book Tours and not Cinnamon & Sugar.

“Skinny” Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

Soup
1 bunch asparagus
1 tablespoon butter
2 leeks, green part removed and white part thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish
4 asparagus tips
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons crème fraîche

Instructions

Soup

Trim off the thick ends of asparagus and chop stalks into 1-inch thin sections.

Reserve 4 asparagus tips for garnish and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter, add sliced leeks and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add potato and chopped asparagus stalks, and sauté for 5 minutes more.

Add chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, then cover partially and cook about 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Garnish

In the meantime, add water to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and add reserved asparagus tips and lemon juice.

Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes just until tips are tender.

Drain and let cool.

Soup

Purée the soup in a blender in batches, or with a wand, then reheat the soup over low heat.

Garnish each serving with crème fraîche and asparagus tips.

Tips

If you want your soup to be a more vibrant green, toss in a handful or two of fresh spinach right before you purée the soup. It won’t change the flavor but will add fresh color.

If you don’t want to dirty another saucepan or use a lemon for the asparagus garnish, place the asparagus tips on a small, microwave safe plate, sprinkle with water, and microwave on high heat about 20 seconds until tender-crisp. Immediately plunge the tips into iced water to keep them bright green.

The top right side bowl has no spinach added, the top left has lots of spinach and the middle front has a medium amount added…just right 🙂

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If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

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I received an ARC from the author and/or publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.

Grandma Bea Farries Scottish Shortbread Cookies

THE CRACKED SPINE is the first in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series from author Paige Shelton and the story starts off with a bang from the very first paragraph! You know you’re in for a wonderful ride following the protagonist, Delaney Nichols, as she begins a new adventure leaving her old life behind in Wichita, Kansas and moving to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Delaney is laid off from her position at a small museum in Wichita and answers a help wanted ad placed by the owner, Edwin MacAlister, for a position at a book and rare manuscript shop in Edinburgh. Upon reaching Scotland, she meets and befriends the other two employees who work in the shop: Hamlet, the young man who has had a rough life and Rosie, the elderly woman who is quite the character and takes her adorable dog, Hector, everywhere with her.

Delaney from Kansas in America, as everyone in Scotland seems to call her, is barely getting settled in when Edwin’s sister is brutally murdered. Edwin had entrusted his sister, who battled drug addiction most of her life, with an extremely rare and valuable manuscript which is now missing. With Edwin grieving both the loss of his sister and the manuscript, Delaney decides to start asking questions and see if she can help her new boss. It’s not long before she is pulled in to wanting to find the murderer, especially when her young co-worker, Hamlet, becomes one of the suspects.

THE CRACKED SPINE was a charming read and I loved how the author used Scottish words and accents in the dialog. It added authenticity. Paige also portrayed the new people in Delaney’s life as warm, caring, openly friendly people which is exactly what I experienced firsthand during a wonderful visit to Scotland. There were also a lot of twists and turns in the plot so I was kept guessing about the real culprit. I certainly will be following The Scottish Bookshop Mystery series closely and wait in anticipation for the next installment!

While THE CRACKED SPINE does not have recipes, I talked to Paige about sharing one of my own to include with my review of her wonderful book. I was kind of stumped on what to share (I won’t touch haggis with a ten-foot-pole!) until a dear friend of mine, Joan, mentioned that she was struggling to make an old family shortbread cookie recipe taste like she remembered her mother making it. When I found out that Joan’s father had immigrated from Scotland to Canada at a young age with his family at least one hundred years ago, I knew I’d found authentic Scottish Shortbread Cookies and begged for her recipe. Since her family lived in Canada I knew I’d have some trial and error to work through. Canadian flour is a bit different than American flour and with the decades separating Joan’s mother baking these cookies and me making them, I was sure the fat content in the butter was probably different too. I was very pleased, though, that these cookies use ONLY four ingredients, so they whip up very quickly! After a few tries I found the ratios that made these Scottish Shortbread Cookies bring Joan to tears of happiness. Thank you, Joan, for allowing me to share your family recipe!

My advice? Bake up a batch of these delectable cookies that melt in your mouth, sit down to read THE CRACKED SPINE, and be transported to Scotland!

A very special thanks to Paige Shelton for providing an autographed hardcover copy of THE CRACKED SPINE to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Grandma Bea Farries’ Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Makes approximately 27 cookies

Ingredients

1 pound (4 sticks) butter
1 cup (4.4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
3 cups (16 ounces) flour, pack it down in the cup when measuring
1/2 cup (2.2 ounces) cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Sift the flour, cornstarch, and confectioners’ sugar together. Set aside.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.

Form the dough into golf ball-sized shapes (I used my 2-tablespoon spring-loaded cookie scoop) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Gently press the tines of a fork on the top of the cookie, making a criss-cross pattern. You don’t want to flatten the cookies, just imprint them. The dough should remain at least a half-inch high.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip

If you use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and sift with the flour mixture.

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Carrot Lane Cupcakes

With Easter fast approaching I’m always on the lookout for sweet treats that capture the “spirit” of Spring, especially treats that are easy to serve and share with friends and family. I was instantly drawn to the recipe for Carrot Lane Cupcakes from BANANAS FOSTER AND A DEAD MOBSTER by A. Gardner. These cupcakes are stuffed full of yummy goodies: healthy carrots, buttery pecans, plump golden raisins, tropical sweet coconut, and then topped with rich, cream cheese frosting. Perfect for your favorite little bunny! The author also bumps up the flavor component in these cupcakes by including an optional Bourbon add-in if you’re baking for adults.

Poppy Peters is finishing up culinary school at Calle Pastry Academy in Georgia. The new pastry instructor, Otto Chimenti, is America’s most eligible celebrity chef and has an ego to match. He’s teamed Poppy up with her nemesis, Georgina, to work on their final dessert and cake presentation. They must also work together at the farmer’s market giving out free samples from the students’ bakery while providing simple cooking demos. Poppy is in charge of demonstrating how to make Bananas Foster and hands a sample to a large man dressed in a pinstripe suit, which is much too hot for summer in the south. The mystery man ambles off to eat his ice cream smothered in bananas and rum sauce and soon after is found dead, with Poppy’s personal, initialed chef’s knife sticking from his back.

Detective Derek Reid is in charge of the investigation and warns Poppy to stick to her kitchen instead of getting into trouble by trying to solve the case. The dead guy is none other than Gino Milani, a member of the New Orleans mafia. Once her roommate, Bree, tells her that the mafia will retaliate against her since everyone will think Poppy is the murderer, she determines that she will have to find the real killer first. Plus she wants to prove to Detective Reid that there’s more to her skills than just baking.

The more questions Poppy asks the more secrets she finds are being hidden by a number of people but the threads of truth are difficult to unravel. It doesn’t take long for a mysterious black Cadillac to start following her and when another victim shows up, Poppy knows she’d better learn to trust the police and work with them instead of competing against them.

BANANAS FOSTER AND A DEAD MOBSTER is a fun culinary cozy! I love the setting at the Pastry Academy and hearing about all the treats they are making along with decorating skills. Poppy has several close friends that lend her support and encouragement, including Cole, the guy she crushes on but doesn’t want to admit it. Her roommate, Bree, is always in their apartment kitchen working on “Franken-Sweets”…looking to create the next cronut. She creates the Carrot Lane Cupcakes, which is a cross between Carrot Cake and Alabama Lane Cake, along with other spectacular desserts. The author provides several recipes, including some of Bree’s Franken-Sweets, at the back of the book and all sound incredibly delicious! In addition to the culinary side of the book, A. Gardner writes a mystery with twists and turns that leaves you guessing until the very end and then makes you wish the next book was available already to continue their story. Thank you, A. Gardner, for allowing me to share your recipe for Carrot Lane Cupcakes — these will become an annual tradition in our household!

A special thank you to A. Gardner for providing an e-book copy of BANANAS FOSTER AND A DEAD MOBSTER for one lucky reader to win! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, March 28, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Carrot Lane Cupcakes

(Makes approximately 2 dozen cupcakes)

Ingredients

Cake

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups carrots, grated
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup bourbon (optional)

Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maraschino cherries for garnishing

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.

Mix in sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. (If using bourbon add this as well.)

Add carrots, raisins, pecans, and shredded coconut.

Mix well and scoop batter into lined muffin tins.

Bake cupcakes for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool before frosting them.

Frosting

Let the butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature.

Whip together the butter and cream cheese.

Add the vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar and whip until smooth.

The icing should be about a medium consistency.

Frost each cupcake and top with a maraschino cherry.

Tip

We like our frosting piled sky-high on our cupcakes so I doubled the amount.

I added some mint green gel food coloring to the frosting to make carrot “tops” on top of cupcakes baked in bright orange wrappers.

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Coconut Cake

When I hear that a new release is coming in one of the series that I love to read, I do a happy dance! KILLER TAKEOUT by Lucy Burdette is releasing April 5th, and I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy.

KILLER TAKEOUT takes us back to Key West in the ten days leading up to Halloween. Hoards of people are flooding into the tropical town to participate in Fantasy Fest and Hayley Snow, Food Critic for Key Zest magazine, has her hands full. Wanting to avoid the overcrowded restaurants, she researches reliable takeout food for an article along with covering some of the Fantasy Fest events such as Zombie Bike Ride and a pet masquerade contest. On top of that her mother, Janet Snow, is arriving in town with her fiance, Sam, to get married on the beach…and a huge tropical storm is heading their way.

Danielle Kamen, the receptionist for Key Zest, is crowned Queen of Fantasy Fest. When Hayley hears that Danielle is in a cat fight with one of the other contestants, she rushes to lend her support and it takes police intervention to break it up. Danielle insists it wasn’t her fault, that she was trying to get away from Caryn Druckman. The next day as Hayley is riding in the Zombie bike ride taking photos and video for her article, she sees Caryn collapse in the middle of the ride. Hayley stops to help her but it’s too late….she’s dead. The police suspect poisoning and set their sights on Danielle given the altercation the day before. Danielle begs Hayley to clear her name since she’s a nervous wreck and can barely function. As Hayley starts asking questions around town, she’s not so sure Danielle wants to know the truth. Could it be Danielle’s own ambitious mother and aunt who had a hand in doing away with the competition or one of the many other people Caryn had stepped on in her fight for the crown?

There were so many things to love about this story! Lucy’s imagery made me feel a part of the Fantasy Fest and facilitated several laugh out loud moments. Hayley is a loyal friend and the relationships she has with her mom, Danielle, and her geriatric houseboat roommate seem genuine which adds charm to the story. There’s still some conflict in her relationship with Detective Nathan Bransford but the author gives them both room to explore and grow with each passing book.

The food descriptions alone can contribute to gaining about five pounds while reading…so many drool-worthy dishes are mentioned and as usual, Lucy shares several recipes at the back of the book. As soon as she asked if I’d like to make her coconut cake I knew exactly how I’d like to present it. While you can stack the 2 layers of cake with lusciously rich cream cheese frosting and tropical coconut nestled in between, this time of year calls for a fun kids’ cake! I first made a bunny cake almost thirteen years ago when my granddaughter, Jaidyn, turned one. It was my VERY first attempt at doing anything creative with a cake and of course I used a boxed mix and canned frosting. Lucy’s coconut cake and coconut cream cheese frosting are a natural match for the design and made the adults go back for seconds for another nibble of this supremely moist, tropical tasting cake! I have included a video tutorial below showing how to assemble the bunny cake along with a PDF template for cutting the ears and bow tie.

As a bonus for my readers I’m giving away either a print copy or e-book copy of KILLER TAKEOUT for one lucky reader to win! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Non-U.S. residents will be awarded a digital copy. Prize will be sent out on the book’s release date of 4/5/16. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Eric’s Coconut Cake (Almost)

My friend Eric (the model for the psychologist character in the Key West mysteries) is famous for his coconut cake. And I’ve been looking for a recipe for coconut cake forever, so I begged for his. Of course, never able to quite leave a recipe alone, I did change things up a little from what he sent me. I used less of the cream of coconut and one block of cream cheese in the icing, instead of two. Oh, and unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened. It was delicious, if I say so myself. I think I will try this as a sheet cake next time I have to take something to a party…

Serves ten to twelve

Ingredients

Cake

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, and cut into cubes
3 ounces Coco Lopez from an 8-ounce can (save the rest for icing)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting

1 8-ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
5 ounces Coco Lopez (the rest of the can)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1 and 1/2 cups – 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
7 – 8 ounces unsweetened flaked coconut (you can use sweetened flaked coconut too)

Easter Bunny Cake

Pink gel food coloring
Assorted candies

Click on the link: Easter Bunny PDF Template

Instructions

Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by buttering them well, lining with parchment, and then buttering the parchment too.

Mix all the dry cake ingredients in bowl of electric mixer or stand mixer at slow speed.

Add cool cubes of butter, a few at a time, along with the Coco Lopez, and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.

Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing well but minimally after each.

Mix the milk with the extracts.

Add 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat until combined. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.

Pour batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans.

Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back when touched, in the neighborhood of 25 minutes. (Watch this because you don’t want to overcook…)

Cool the pans for ten minutes, then remove the cakes, one to a plate and the other to waxed paper, and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese together then add in the Coco Loco and vanilla extract.

Slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar and beat until creamy. Add in additional confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency and sweetness level is reached.

Ice the top of the first layer, then sprinkle with coconut. Add the second layer, ice the whole cake, sprinkle the coconut all over, patting as needed.

Easter Bunny Cake

Tint 3 tablespoons of the flaked coconut pink, using 2 drops of pink gel food coloring. Set aside.

Using the Easter Bunny PDF Template, slice one of the 9-inch cake rounds into a bow tie and 2 ears.

Place the intact 9-inch cake round onto a large cake board and position the bow tie and 2 ears to make a bunny.

Cover the cakes with frosting.

Apply the pink coconut to form the shape of the bunny’s inner ears.

Cover the remaining cake with white coconut, pressing the coconut into the sides of the cake to adhere.

Decorate the bunny with assorted candies as desired. I used licorice whips, Lifesaver gummies, jelly beans, M & M’s, and Sixlets. View my video tutorial below to see how I assembled cake.

Tips

My can of Coco Loco separated so I puréed using an immersion stick blender before using.

Use EvenBake Cake Strips around the cake pans while baking to keep the cake tops from doming.

For my cake board, I use colorful fabric (wash first!) on a 1/2-inch thick cut piece of plywood that I’ve covered with washable contact paper. Hot glue the edges of the fabric to the bottom of the board. When the “party” is over, remove the fabric and bits of cake and frosting and throw away. Clean the contact paper covered board as needed and it will be ready to reuse for your next cake!

Of course you can make this luscious tropical cake as a regular layer cake!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

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